Michele’s Bicycle

Michele came to me in the summer of 2012 with a request for a 700c randonneuring bicycle similar to her Waterford, but with a traditional diamond frame (non-sloping top tube), S&S couplers for travel, a more comfortable ride and better fit. This build initially took a year in its first manifestation, and evolved into a 650b randonneuring bicycle after Michele completed the 1415km London-Edinburgh-London ride in 2013. A mishap involving the bicycle flying free from her bike rack at 50mph (about 80kph) on the way to another long ride gave me the opportunity to adjust the frame to her evolving needs.

The fork crown was sanded to 600-grit and polished. It was then sanded to 600-grit in one direction only for a brushed finish.

The original seat lug.

Slightly modified and cleaned up seat lug.

Another view of the original seat lug.

Another view of the modified seat lug.

Another view of the modified seat lug.

The original down tube lug.

Slightly modified and cleaned up down tube lug.

Comparison of the original top tube/head tube lug with the slightly modified and cleaned up lug.

Comparison of the original down tube/head tube lug with the slightly modified and cleaned up lug.

Putting in the saw guides for cutting out the section of tube to be replaced by the S&S coupler.

Braze-ons for hanging the chain and some spare spokes.

Ouch! The fork after Michele’s bike fell off the bike rack at 50mph (78kph). There is no saving that crown. Time for a new fork.

Summer Knight

Frame and Fork

Part

Description

Top tube length (c-c)

56.0cm

Seat tube length (c-c)

56.0cm

Bottom bracket drop

8.5cm

Chain stay length

43.5cm

Front center

58.3cm

Wheel size

650b (584)

Fork offset

4.2cm

Trail (42mm tires)

6.1cm

Head angle

72.5°

Seat angle

72.5°

Wheelbase

100.4cm

Head tube

CrMo 31.8mm ø (1.1mm)

Top tube

Columbus Genius 28.6mm ø (.7/.4/.7)

Down tube

Columbus Life 31.8mm ø (.7/.5/.7)

Seat tube

Columbus Life 28.6mm ø (.7/.4/.6)

Lugs

Richard Sachs “Rene Singer”

Bottom bracket shell

Long Shen LB-07 (68mm width)

Chain stays

Columbus Zona 30/16mm oval (.8/.6)

Chain stay bridge

CrMo 9.5mm ø (.9)

Seat stays

Tange Prestige

Seat stay bridge

Cinelli 506A

Dropouts

Shimano SF, vertical

Steerer

Columbus Thron, threadless 1”

Fork Crown

Long Shen LC-01, stainless steel (38.5mm) (original 700c fork)

Fork Crown

Pacenti PBP, stainless steel (replacement 650b fork)

Fork Blades

Columbus SL (28/20mm oval, .9)

Fork Ends

Shimano SF

Components

Part

Description

Saddle

Really not sure what’s on there…

Seatpost

Ritchey WCS

Handlebars

FSA K-force, compact, 42cm

Shift/Brake Levers

SRAM Red, 10-speed

Handlebar Tape

Cinelli Cork Ribbon, black

Handlebar Ends

Cinelli, black

Stem

Ritchey WCS, – 80mm

Headset

Chris King, black – threadless

Brakes

Paul Components – Mini-Moto

Tires

Grand Bois Cerf – 650b x 42mm

Inner Tubes

Schwalbe, presta valve

Rims

HED Belgium plus – 650b x 25mm, 32-hole

Spokes

Sapim – stainless steel, brass nipples

Front Hub

Schmidt Original Nabendynamo (SON) – 32-hole, 100mm

Rear Hub

DT Swiss 240s – 32-hole, 130mm

Cassette

SRAM (PG-1070), 12-36t, 10-speed

Chain

SRAM (PC-1051), 10-speed

Crankset

SRAM Red, 34/50t – 172.5mm

Bottom Bracket

SRAM GXP

Pedals

Speedplay Zero – stainless

Dérailleur – Rear

SRAM XO

Dérailleur – Front

SRAM Red – braze-on

Water Bottle Cages

King – stainless steel, silver (2x)

Computer

Planet Bike 9.0

Fenders

Honjo-Koken, hammered – 50mm

Headlight

Schmidt Edelux

Taillight

Busch & Mueller Seculite Plus taillight, fender-mount

Pump

Topeak Road Morph G

A few, short kilometers from the finish of Michele’s second Paris-Brest-Paris (2015), she was rear-ended by another participant and suffered severe injuries. The latest (third) incarnation of Michele’s bicycle is long-delayed, but in–progress, following that mishap. Due to the consequences of her injuries, some dimensional and geometry changes are being made to her frame, which means cold-setting, replaced tubes, and re-worked lugs. In the mean time, she is back to riding her Waterford and organizing brevets as RBA for the Great Lakes Randonneurs, like the delightful Great Lakes Mac & Cheese 1200k. Look here for updates when Michele is reuinted with her repaired frame and rebuilt bicycle.